Coconut Thefts Surge in Kerala As Prices Hit All Time High
Kerala’s coconut groves, once symbols of calm rural life, are now filled with worry. In places like Elappully, Palakkad, coconut thefts have surged as coconut and oil prices soar. For farmers, coconuts are no longer just a staple crop they’ve become prime targets for organized thieves, turning fields into high risk zones overnight.
Why the Sudden Spike in Theft?
Coconut prices in Kerala have surged in 2025 due to lower production, rising demand, and global price hikes for coconuts and coconut oil. Retail prices are up over 70% from last year, making coconuts a prime target for thieves. In Palakkad, many farmers report losing entire harvests overnight, as thefts grow more organized, with culprits even breaking into locked sheds to steal hundreds of coconuts at once.
Elappully Farmers Speak Out
In Elappully, one of Palakkad’s largest coconut producing panchayats, over 30 farmers have reported major thefts in just the past month. Thieves breaking into sheds, stealing nearly 200 coconuts in a single night along with petrol meant for machinery. Multiple incidents at the same farms, with skilled culprits plucking coconuts directly from trees or carting away freshly harvested nuts. Farmers like Ramachandran, who suffered flooding earlier this year, now rely on coconut sales for survival and are devastated by repeated losses
Farmers say this isn’t an isolated issue. Nearby areas like Pudussery are seeing similar theft sprees. Earlier, these regions dealt with small thefts or stolen equipment like pump shed wiring, but now large-scale coconut raids have become common.
The Broader Trend
Production Falls, Prices Rise: Kerala’s coconut output has dropped 20% due to bad weather, pests, and diseases, while global demand for coconut oil and related products stays strong.
Onam Season Worries: With Onam nearing and demand peaking, officials fear thefts will rise further as hoarding and black-market trade increase.
Farmers Fight Back
Installing CCTV Cameras: Many in Palakkad are now installing security cameras across fields.
Organizing Action Groups: Some areas, inspired by similar incidents in Kozhikode, have formed action committees and jointly approach the police for support.
Police Complaints: Farmers are increasingly filing theft complaints and demanding stricter patrols.
As Kerala’s coconut palms become prime targets, farmers are calling for urgent action. If price swings and rural crime aren’t tackled soon, the “land of coconuts” risks losing its signature crop not to nature, but to threats within its own communities.
